1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a touch control arrangement of a container, wherein the folding movement of the foldable cover of the container is adapted to be accurately operated through the touch control arrangement so as to minimize the false operation of the foldable cover.
2. Description of Related Arts
A conventional container for storing predetermined objects, such as a trash container, usually comprises a container body having a receiving cavity formed therein, and an opening communicated with the receiving cavity, and a cover panel movably mounted on top of the container body for selectively opening and enclosing the receiving cavity for allowing the user to dispose predetermined objects into the container body. When the container is not in use, the receiving cavity is substantially enclosed for physically separating the objects disposed in the receiving cavity from an exterior of the container.
In a number of situations, such as when a person is holding a lot of trash in both of his hands, it is inconvenient or difficult for the person to lift up the cover panel in that the person simply does not have spare hands to lift up the cover panel. If the person nevertheless tries to lift up the cover panel, he risks dropping all the trash in his or her hands onto the floor.
Because of this deep-seated difficulty with respect to the above-mentioned conventional container, there exist several other kinds of containers in which the cover panels are mainly designed to be actuated by feet instead of hands. These containers with foot operating mechanism have substantially solved the problem of inconvenient or difficult lifting of the cover panel when the user has a lot of, say, trash, in his or her hands. However, they create other problems. For example, a substantially amount of force has to be applied to the foot paddle in order to lift up the cover panel. This may perhaps pose a certain degree of difficulty for such users as children and elderly. Moreover, since the operation of the containers is mainly relies on stepping force on the part of the user, the foot paddle would break very easily especially when people apply unknowingly excessive stepping force on it.
In recent years, electrically-operated containers have been developed in which the cover panel is largely driven by electrical components so as to achieve automatic opening or closing of that cover panel. For most of these electrically-operated containers, such as electrically-operated trash cans, a sensor is utilized for detecting a target movement, such as a movement of the person throwing trash, in a detection range, so that when that person stands in that detection range, the sensor will send a signal to the relevant electrical components so as to automatically lift up the cover panel, and when the user has left the detection range, the sensor will send a corresponding signal to those electrical components for automatically lowering down the cover panel so as to close the container.
There are a number of disadvantages in relation to this kind of electrically-powered containers. First, virtually all electrically-powered containers employed some sorts of sensors for detecting user's position so as to determine the exact time at which the cover panel is to be automatically actuated. However, the position of the sensors with respect to the corresponding container body may not be optimal so that the cover panel may be unnecessarily lifted up. This result may also occur when the sensor is too sensitive. Conversely, when the sensor is too insensitive, there may occur a situation where the cover panel does not lift up when in fact it is necessary.
Second, it is well-known in the art that when the cover panel is electrically-powered, it is difficult to effectively control the actual physical motion of the cover panel, especially when the cover panel is driven to lower down to cover the container body. More specifically, when the cover panel is pivotally moved to enclose the container body, gravitational force (due to the weight of the cover panel) has largely been ignored by many so that the cover panel is usually subject to excessive force when being driven to enclose the container body. As a result, it is suggested that some sort of mechanisms is required to actually controllably resist the gravitational force when the cover panel is driven to enclose the container body so as to prevent accidental damage to the electrical components, the container body, or even the cover panel itself.
Third, for some electrically-powered containers (such as trash cans), because of their utility function, are usually placed in an environment which not clean. Similarly, the objects which are to be disposed into the receiving cavity of the container body may contain liquid. All these adverse factors may eventually affect the durability of the electrical components of the relevant electrically-powered containers. Therefore, protection of the electrical components within the container is a very important issue.
Fourth, the induction unit of the electrically-powered container consumes relatively more electrical power. The sensor will draw a certain amount of electrical power even when the sensor is remained at the standby mode. In other words, the electrically-powered container will keep consuming the electric power from the power source even though the electrically-powered container is not in use.
Fifth, when the trash bag as an example is needed to be replaced from the electrically-powered container, the induction unit must be unplugged from the terminal. In other words, it is hassle that the user must detach the induction unit from the container before replacing the trash bag. In addition, the terminal of the electrically-powered container will be gradually oxidized or dirt under the unclean environment. Therefore, the terminal might not be perfectly connected to the induction unit so as to cause the malfunction of the electrically-powered container.
Sixth, the induction unit is supported within the receiving cavity of the container such that the usage volume of the electrically-powered container is minimized. Accordingly, the above mentioned non-electrically-powered container has the same problem of minimizing the usage volume of the container since the foot operating mechanism is also supported within the receiving cavity of the container.